To Banish Darkness
by Oriondruid
Summary: After surviving two Hunger Games Arena battles and bringing about the overthrow of the evil Capitol regime of President Snow, more than anybody Katniss Everdeen and Peter Mellark deserved to be happy and at peace. Sadly though they were still both tortured by terrible nightmares. But perhaps there was one place that could help? Rated T as a precaution only, milder than the books.


**To Banish Darkness**

By Oriondruid

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**Summary:**_ After surviving two Hunger Games Arena battles and bringing about the overthrow of the evil Capitol regime of President Snow, more than anybody Katniss Everdeen and Peter Mellark deserved to be happy and at peace. Sadly though so many dark shadows of past tragedies still clouded their minds and brought them both terrible nightmares. But perhaps there was one place they could go to heal themselves and each other? A place where they could finally lay to rest the demons of their past, the 74th Hunger Games Arena! Despite their fears the couple both bravely grasped the opportunity and in doing so found that some of the 'ghosts' from their past came back to 'haunt' them. But ghosts, even those of old enemies, are sometimes friendly..._

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**Disclaimer****:** As should be self-evident from my site profile I am not Suzanne Collins. Therefore I hold no claim to these characters. They are all the brilliant work of the author herself and I thank her for the opportunity to 'play' in her world for a while.

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**Author's Notes: **_This story, with it's 'ghostly' theme was originally intended to be posted at Halloween, or what is otherwise known by my fellow Druids and I as the old Pagan Celtic festival of Samhain. However, as many of the fan fiction writers here will recognise sometimes happens, the story took on a life of it's own. It could not possibly have been completed on time, having almost organically, 'growed like Topsy' from a simple idea for a few pages into something much bigger. It's now a longish but complete 'one shot' because I have become wary of publishing multi chapters, a bit at a time. My all too regular bouts of apparently untreatable clinical depression mean that the need for updates can badly stack up when I get 'the blues' and feeling pressure to complete unfinished stories can even make matter's worse._

_Like a lot of my 'stuff' written in both The Hunger Games and Harry Potter 'universes' this is a story of redemption and love, but this time set in a place previously dedicated to fear and death. It is another 'take' on some of the themes in my previous story Arena of Reunion, but is not directly linked to it. Some may consider the 'spirits' of those who appear in the 74th Arena to be way too far 'out of character', but that is entirely the point! Death and subsequent self-realisation are seen here as the ultimate transformative forces and this story is about how the stunted and twisted spirits of some of those poor children hurt by The Capitol's vile system and who died in that sad place learned to love and grow, to become happy and 'move on'. It's also about how they help Katniss and Peeta to heal as well._

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**Nightmares**

"This can't go on Katniss!" Peeta Mellark said. "Nearly every night, it's me or you, sometimes both of us, if we can't stop these terrible nightmares we'll end up insane and kill ourselves, or worse still kill one another!"

"What can we do though Peeta? Other than drink ourselves senseless and try and achieve a dreamless oblivion every night, like poor Haymitch used to have to do before Effie helped him heal? It's a well known phenomenon 'survivors guilt' and in our case it is worse because we aren't entirely innocent. We both had to do some things we weren't proud of, in order to survive the Arenas."

"I've been thinking about it Katniss." Peeta replied. "My therapist Janny and I have been talking things over and she and I have come to believe that only one thing might help us. We should go back Katniss, revisit the place where all our nightmares originated, go back to the 74th Hunger Games Arena!"

Katniss looked stunned at his suggestion but Peeta carried on, saying; "You must know The Capitol preserved it as a memorial to all the lost children sacrificed to The Hunger Games, they kept that one alone when they destroyed all the others. I've seen pictures of how it is now and it's a natural, beautiful place, completely transformed now that all the Gamemaker's weapons and surveillance equipment have been removed and all the fear and killing is over. It was preserved because it's the place where President Snow and the Capitol's regime first began to crack, the place where you, in so many people's eyes, first became their Mockingjay because of the loving way that you marked poor little Rue's death. Many people now go to visit it, to remember their lost loved ones from all the many 'Games' over the years and give thanks for our new found freedom."

Katniss thought over what Peeta had said, then smiled at him and replied, "I think you're right my love, going back there might be the only way we can banish the demons and finally get closure on what they did to us all, the only way perhaps that we can find some peace. We need this, it may be the only thing that'll help, let's make some calls."

**Renewal**

They found that being Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen still had it's privileges and their request to the President and Council was looked upon favourably. It was arranged that a hovercraft would be sent to collect them from District 12 and take them direct to their old Arena. The site was to be temporarily closed to normal visitors and given over to their private use, for as long as they felt they needed to be there.

Katniss and Peeta left the home they were sharing in the old Victor's Village after saying goodbye to Haymitch and Effie and promising to return in time for the older couple's upcoming wedding. They then walked the short distance to the new District 12 Memorial Park, which was a lovely place dedicated to all those killed in the Capitol's bombing atrocity. Their hovercraft would collect them from the open ground of the playing field there.

Walking through the newly rebuilt streets of their home town they passed houses that, whilst still modest, were a far cry from the tumbledown wooden shacks of old, the ashes of which had long been swept away. Over recent years since the survivor's returned the 'new' District 12 was becoming a much more comfortable and healthier place to live. It's citizens well fed, those mines that were still open were now far safer, the miners better paid, better fed and living far less dangerous lives. The District children also were now well nourished and growing tall and strong, with their minds becoming filled with knowledge in the brand new and well equipped District school.

Ordinary people now had the right to travel, not just within their own District but between them and also to the Capitol, which was becoming a popular holiday destination for those growing number of people who were fairly well off. Terms of trade were no longer determined by the Capitol's military occupation, but by normal commercial bargaining and the merchant class of District 12 were now used to having the right to freely haggle over prices. No longer was District 12 to be just a poor coal mining area, they were also beginning to make pharmaceuticals, using sophisticated coal based chemical and plant based biochemical technologies. There was also now a newly established high tech factory, making various domestic electronic items, which Beetee had come to District 12 after the war to help set up.

The economies of all Panem's Districts were becoming far less specialised in general, political power more decentralised and a greater, more rewarding variety of work opportunities were becoming available to all. Even in District 13 there was strong revival in progress, with the populous regaining the chance to re-emerge from their tunnels and bunkers and once again live in sunlight. To begin to rebuild and renew their damaged land. The previous strict military control over the populous had vanished with the death of President Coin and the nuclear weapons of both The Capitol and District 13 had been dismantled and destroyed.

The leadership of Panem, both local and central were now elected by democratic vote, the right to exercise which included all adult citizens over eighteen countrywide. Everyone, be they District or Capitol people, had an equal right to take part in the Presidential and Central Council selection as well being able to chose their local District officials. Also, in honour of the lost children of The Hunger Games, there was an elected Children's Council. This organisation had representatives selected by a younger electorate, from the age group of those who might once have been selected to die in The Capitol's murderous Arena's. This body of fine young people had a fair degree of real power in certain specific areas, such as education, health, sports, the arts and other youth relevant fields. Never again would the country's children become mere fodder for an appalling series of televised atrocities. Panem was finally becoming a truly civilised nation and not just a collection of occupied territories, trampled under the boots of The Capitol's former military might.

All would have been well Katniss felt, had she and Peeta not been left broken and un-repaired, unlike the rest of their District and their country.

**The Return**

Their hovercraft was loaded with supplies enough to last them for several weeks and they would, in addition to the usual camping requirements, both be carrying communicator/tracker units. Katniss of course also had her bow and a hunting knife, Peeta a spear and also a similar knife. These were needed as a precaution, since now the perimeter forcefield was no longer active some large wild creatures had entered the old Arena from the Northern Wilderness and taken up residence in it's woods. Ordinary groups of visitors were always accompanied by a warden who was armed with a hunting rifle in case of bears, wolves, surviving rogue mutts or suchlike. But Peeta and Katniss would be entirely alone, so their weapons were vital tools and needed to keep them safe. They could have taken a gun as well had they so wanted, but both felt more familiar and comfortable with their own 'lower tech' weapons. In any case since Katniss and Peeta were both formidable with their chosen weapons a gun would have been of little additional advantage to the pair. Their skills would ensure their place as top predators in those woods and they had nothing to fear from any creature they might encounter there.

The communicator/tracker units they also had with them were a safety measure. The electronic tracker network being the only part of the Arena's original technology still left operating. But now nobody had to have tracker chips implanted in them against their will anymore. All normal visitors to the old Arena wore tracker wristbands, just in case anyone got separated from their group and guide and became lost in the woods. In the case of Katniss and Peeta this function was built into the radio units which they both carried in case they need to contact each other, if for some reason they got split up.

The couple also had one other piece of technology with them, a small, lightweight, easy to operate but sophisticated camera/recorder on which they intended to record personal video diaries of their experiences in the old arena. This would work in daylight or at night, had built in motion tracking autofocus and also could film in near complete darkness, using either it's built in light or image intensification technology. It had power enough on a single charge to run continuously for a week and spare batteries were also carried. The use of this device had been at the request of the President and the Capitol's TV network. It was intended that their 'video diaries' would later be edited and a documentary film created, from diary clips and later interviews, to be broadcast Panem wide. Katniss and Peeta would have full editorial control of what went into the programme, but they could understand that a great many people would be interested to see what would come about during their trip back to the place where it all began. They were happy to co-operate with the plan, as long as they didn't feel it too intrusive.

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The couple were set down by their hovercraft in the lakeside meadow in which the Cornucopia had previously stood, although this now had been replaced by a beautiful memorial to all the children killed in all the Hunger Games. There was a twenty foot high white marble statue on a stylised 'launch pedestal' of two young children, a boy and a girl hand in hand with a four segmented circular polished dark granite wall around it, with entrances at the cardinal points. This recorded the names of all The Hunger Games victims from the very first to the last, their names engraved into the stone and highlighted in real gold.

The memorial gleamed in the late autumn sun as Katniss and Peeta disembarked nearby from their hovercraft, having had their supplies and gear unloaded for them by two very helpful Avox attendants. Sadly after the war it had been found that nothing could be done to restore the voices of these victims of the Capitol's former cruelty, the horrible surgery to their tongues and vocal chords had been too extensive and damaging to correct. But they all now had small voice synthesizer units with compact control keypads on pendants around their necks, with these they could, in a limited way, compensate for their lack of a real voice. All the Avoxes were of course now free, they had been given substantial compensation payments for their mutilation and enslavement and also, if they wanted it, were found suitable and interesting paid work. The married Avox couple on their flight had told Katniss and Peeta, using their artificial voices, that they were most happy to be of service to so famous a pair and they were the very epitome of polite helpfulness throughout their flight.

As the Avoxes unloaded materials from their craft Katniss and Peeta worked with them and stowed all their excess gear in an animal proof container made from a large metal shipping crate. It formed a small cache near to the memorial, to which they could return when they need to re-supply. Thus they would only need carry with them a few days worth of food & water at a time, their weapons, their lightweight 'tech items', plus a sleeping bag and insulating ground mat each, along with a small, light but thoroughly weatherproof tent. It would mean they'd have a much lighter load to carry and made them more mobile.

Once all had been disgorged from their hovercraft Katniss and Peeta said a fond farewell to their Avox helpers and waved to the flight crew at the controls of the hovercraft, telling them via communicator they would contact them when they wanted retrieval. The hovercraft then took off and headed away on a bearing towards The Capitol. It had no need to use it's invisibility 'cloak', so Peeta and Katniss watched it vanish to a dot, then turned to each other, embraced and kissed.

**Alone At Last!**

Peeta smiled at Katniss and said "I know it's a cliché love but I've gotta say it, so here goes... Alone at last!"

"Yeah, you're right Peeta, it is a terribly corny cliché, but in this case an appropriate one." Katniss grinned. "Let's take a look at the memorial before we move off into the woods. It looks so beautiful."

Indeed it was, but also incredibly sad they both thought as they more closely examined the statue of the two innocent and frightened looking young children. Their young faces bore expressions they both knew all too well. Seeing this Peeta said. "I bet we both looked just as frightened as them when we emerged from the launch tubes and were stood on those pedestals over there. I know I was terrified and didn't think I'd last even beyond the first few minutes."

Katniss replied. "I was terrified too, I wanted that bow they'd set up in the front of the Cornucopia so badly I could taste it, but seeing you shaking your head about it brought me to my senses and I ran from the 'bloodbath' after grabbing only a nearby rucksack. Even then Clove nearly got me, but your warning not to get involved saved my life in the first sixty seconds of the Games Peeta."

The couple then read some of the names on the memorial's wall. They concentrated mainly on the later Games and of course a great many names they knew appeared in the list of the fallen of the final two Arenas. Reading those names recalled the faces of so many they'd known, both lost friends and old enemies and they both had tears in their eyes by the time they got to the end of the roll of the dead. They held each other tightly, slumped against the wall and cried together for several minutes, just thankful to be alive and not to have become just another two names amongst the long list of those who'd died.

Then they gathered their thoughts and Katniss with her tears drying bravely said, "Tonight I'd like us to revisit the cave where we hid whilst you were hurt Peeta. That is the setting of one of my worst nightmares, the one where I failed to get you the medicine you needed because Clove killed me slowly and sadistically at the feast, leaving you to die horribly of your wounds, all alone."

Peeta looked concerned and said, "Do you feel strong enough to take on that demon our first night here darling? I know that horrible nightmare, you've told me it several times and I have a similar one sometimes, where you went off to the feast and never came back. I'm game to go there though, if you feel we really need to so soon."

Katniss, looking determined said. "This isn't a vacation Peeta, it's our chance to heal, perhaps our only chance and we must confront and defeat our 'demons'. So yes, whilst I'm scared I really want to do this. Let's go, it'll be getting dark in a few hours and we'll need to set up camp there before sundown."

**Their Sanctuary**

Back in the 74th Hunger Games Katniss had found the badly injured Peeta camouflaged by mud and weeds next to a river. That river flowed into the lake, so the pair began to follow it back up it's course to find their cave. Just as the sun began to touch the horizon they made it back to the cleft in the rock which had been their 'sanctuary'. They swiftly gathered plenty of firewood in the deepening shadows and lit a small fire. They knew that it would get cold later it being late autumn, although for some while it had been unusually warm during daylight hours for that time of year, with all the leaves still on the trees and only just starting to 'turn'. Having assured themselves of adequate warmth they then laid out their lightweight foam camping mats and sleeping bags on the most level part of the rock floor, their tent not being needed as the cliff face overhung the rock cleft, forming a roof for the cavelike structure.

Then Peeta set down the small video unit they had with them on a rock and the pair began to give an account of their arrival in the Arena, their impressions of the Memorial and how it felt to be back in their former 'sanctuary'. Both then tacked on some individual impressions and insights about the day. Neither had any secrets from each other as they undoubtedly would have been married by then, had they been sufficiently mentally well. The pair both frankly admitted in front of each other their trepidation about having to sleep there for the night, fearing the nightmares it would almost certainly induce. Then they shut the machine off and ate some of their rations, trying to comfort each other by engaging in fairly inconsequential chat about Haymitch, laughing about his love/hate relationship with his geese and their latest chaos inducing 'escape attempt', running squarking around the village, with Haymitch in rampaging pursuit, yelling drunken threats at them.

They then discussed the fact that Effie Trinket was now a permanent fixture in his life. They were a happy, if somewhat 'odd' couple, the former sophisticated Capitol Escort and the ageing, grizzled and grumpy Hunger Games Victor. Effie's love had been good for Haymitch and whilst he still drank a little bit to excess sometimes he was a much improved, happier individual and getting better all the time. Their wedding was coming up soon and Haymitch hoped to be totally 'dry' for the occasion, other than taking a symbolic sip of champagne at the celebration of course. Well that was the plan anyway, they'd believe it when they saw it. Katniss and Peeta were to be important guests, and would be acting as Groomsman and Maid of Honour for the pair in the ceremony.

**The First 'Visitor'**

It got late and growing tired almost against their will the couple eventually decided they had to try and sleep, if they could manage it. They lay side by side in their sleeping bags on their foam mats, with a folded towel and some spare clothes under their heads to act as a pillow. Soon, probably because of the day's exertions and stress, they did both fairly swiftly drift off into a reasonably untroubled slumber.

Then after some unspecified time had passed Katniss woke as she'd heard a female voice calling softly from outside the cave's entrance. It called, "Katniss, Katniss Everdeen, wake up you dozy cow, get your head together 'Girl on Fire'. I've come to talk, come out here, I need to speak to you without Lover Boy listening in."

Katniss was puzzled, as she knew that herself and Peeta were supposed to be completely alone in the Arena. She also felt sure she somehow knew the voice she was hearing, but just couldn't put a face to it. She got out of her sleeping bag, put on her boots and with her hunting knife in her hand as a precaution she went out of the cave entrance. Peeta seemed sound asleep and didn't stir as she did so. On the moonlit riverbank in the shade of a tree she could just make out the figure of a girl, sat on a rock watching the silvery water flowing by. She had her back to Katniss, but nonetheless seemed strangely familiar.

As Katniss drew near the girl turned and in horror Katniss recognised her. It was Clove! She looked exactly as she had when they'd first met in The Capitol, wearing the same tracksuit she'd worn for Training. But Katniss knew full well that she had died in the Arena several years ago, her head caved in by a blow from a rock wielded by Thresh. 'This must be a new nightmare,' Katniss thought, 'Perhaps I'll wake up if I really try, before it turns nasty.'

Clove looked at the hunting knife in her hand and said, "Nice tool Katniss, good edge on it, great for skinning and gutting but not much good for throwing though, lousy balance. I had one just like it once."

Almost as if she'd read Katniss's mind Clove smiled a little sadly and said. "No 'Girl on Fire' this isn't a nightmare, I'm as real as I ever get to be these days, I died here in this arena and never left, I guess that makes me a ghost." With that Clove stood up and walked between Katniss and the brightness of the near full moon shining at a low angle through the foliage overhead. Sat on her rock in the shadows of the riverside trees Clove had seemed fairly solid, but now against the moonlight Katniss could see clear through her, she was gossamer transparent.

"It's good to see you again Katniss" Clove said, her words sounding surprisingly genuine. "I know we were mortal enemies in The Hunger Games, but dying tends to give you a bit of a new perspective on the past. I overhear things said by the visitors who come here and their guides, things about what you did, overthrowing President Snow and the Capitol regime with the rebels and even about the stuff before that. I know all that happened in the Quarter Quell Arena, both to you and Lover Boy, (I really must stop calling him that!)" Clove snapped at herself, a little of her old mental instability showing through.

However she then smiled again and said; "Politeness never was my 'thing', sorry Katniss. I meant to say about the second Arena that you and Peeta were forced into and I guess what I'm trying to say is this, I got you wrong! I thought you were weak, I thought you were just a show off, all fiery frocks and no moves! A 'one trick pony', with that bow of yours that got you the top Gamemaker's rating. I was jealous of all the attention you and your boyfriend got. I'm ashamed to say I was happy when Rue was killed, knowing how sad it would make you and that it would leave you vulnerable. Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry. Being such a bitch got me the only reward I deserved, a rock in the head from Thresh. I'm so happy for you and Peeta. You've both done such marvellous things for all the people of the Districts and I wanted to thank you on behalf of my family. Please don't fear me anymore Katniss, if we meet again in your dreams please stop being afraid of what I almost did to you and try to think better of me. I could never be your friend in life but at least by your coming here again to this Arena it has given me the chance to apologise to you. I'm glad you made it 'Girl on Fire', the best girl won! I'd shake your hand but that's sadly not possible now.

Then Clove faded from view like slowly evaporating mist, but as she did she beamed in happiness and joyfully said. "I'm free Katniss, free of this place at last! It must have been talking to you that did it. That was the thing I needed to do to be set free from this Arena and now I can go and join Cato at last! Thank you 'Girl On Fire', thank you for being so fair and for listening to me, it's more than I deserved from you. I hope we'll meet again as friends some day!"

As the vision of the dead girl faded away Katniss shivered, not merely because of the night-time cold, but also because of the strangeness of what had just happened to her, although she felt happy for Clove that she was finally free of the Arena. She then headed back back into the cave and lay down again at Peeta's side. He stirred and half awoke as she did so, asking where she'd gone. Katniss explained it by saying "Just a 'call of nature' Peeta, go back to sleep." Then she soon drifted off herself into a peaceful nightmare free slumber.

The next morning Katniss awoke feeling refreshed, both she and Peeta had got through the rest of the night without either of them waking up screaming, but Katniss did remember her strange dream about Clove. She felt that although it could not exactly be called a nightmare it was certainly odd, but somehow comforting. Peeta and herself then had some breakfast and began to pack up their kit into their backpacks.

Peeta then said, "I'm just headed off into the bushes before we set off, I bet it was cold out there last night Katniss, I'm glad I didn't need to go then."

Katniss was shocked, as she'd rationalised her night-time encounter with Clove as being down to simple dreaming, but apparently Peeta was confirming that she really had gone outside the cave the previous night. She put on her boots, which indeed still had some soft mud on the soles and went to look at the riverbank area where she had 'met' Clove. Sure enough her own footprints were plainly to be seen in the mud by the rock which Clove had sat on. Her night's 'visitation' had been real!

"Bless you Clove." Katniss said quietly and smiled. "Thank you for coming to me last night and for your honesty, I do believe that what you did will help ease the nightmare I've been having about you and what nearly happened. Perhaps when we meet in my dreams in future it may be as friends, as you hoped. I'm glad you're free now, and at peace with your Cato."

**The Tracker Jacker Tree**

The couple spent a very pleasant day together by the river, mostly just walking hand in hand or just sitting, talking on the river bank. Katniss told Peeta her strange story from the night before and they also recorded it on camera. Peeta listened closely and whilst obviously wishing to believe her he still tended to put it down as a dream, plus perhaps sleepwalking on her part. As they talked they were both each fishing with hand lines from their kit and competing to catch the fat brown trout in the stream. The fish were very naïve because they were generally left to lead undisturbed lives and they both easily caught two of them each, before saying that would be enough for supper.

Katniss and Peeta planned to spend that night camped by the tree where Katniss had cut loose the tracker jacker nest and dropped it onto the Careers and also Peeta. At that time, although Katniss didn't know it, Peeta, though he was with the 'Career Pack' was in fact attempting to lead them away from her. The tree that Katniss got trapped in was a place about which Peeta had nightmares, remembering not just the terrible insect attack, but also the horrific event before it, when he had to make the horrible decision to 'finish off' the mortally injured female District 8 tribute whom the Careers had attacked after seeing her camp fire. Killing that girl was the one event Peeta was the most conflicted about from his whole Arena experience. Was it mercy or was it murder? Why had he volunteered to go back and finish her off after Glimmer had bungled her killing and left her lying there, slowly dying in pain? Had Peeta despatched her to end her suffering or to impress the Careers and begin to rack up a 'score'?

The pair left the riverbank late in the afternoon and walked the two miles or so to the tree where memories both good and bad awaited them. Upon arriving they checked that no new insect nests had been re-established in the tree. They set up their small tent and camp-fire, then cooked their delicious fresh fish for their supper. They then spent a further couple of hours sat by the fire, talking with the camera running, but ignored, about the many events that had happened in this very spot. There were both good and bad memories here, bad mostly for Peeta but for Katniss it was the place where her alliance with her friend Rue had begun, when the young girl had saved her life by pointing out the tracker jacker nest and thereby giving Katniss a way to get down out of the tree she was trapped in alive. Even though during the incident Katniss had herself suffered several stings and their terrible venomous side effects she had, with Rue's care and herbal knowledge, survived and from then the friendship and alliance between the two girls had blossomed. Peeta had bravely insisted on staying by the tree that night, as two of his worst nightmares happened in and around that setting.

**Peeta's 'Victim'**

Eventually the couple went to bed in their tent and Katniss drifted off into a deep slumber, having a very happy dream about her time with Rue, before the little girl was sadly killed.

Peeta on the other hand was totally unable to sleep, terrified that if he did he's once again see the clouds of insects enveloping himself and the Career Pack. Frightened that he'd once again be made to see the once lovely Glimmer becoming a horrible mass of swollen flesh as she screamed her last. Or maybe it would be the even darker dream about his killing the District 8 girl, the one where he never knew if what he did to her was good or evil.

Eventually he decided to get up and taking a torch from his rucksack and putting on his walking boots he left Katniss in their tent and without waking her he headed towards the nearby spot in which the girl he'd killed had once lit her camp-fire, the fire that had betrayed her all those years ago. As he got nearer to the place it happened he became very afraid, but bravely pressed on, hoping that actually being at the scene of the girl's death might help him overcome his bad memories.

He arrived at the exact spot and sat on the leaf mould and grass beneath the trees there, then as it was becoming very cold and perhaps as as something of a memorial to the dead girl he lit another small fire with the dry twigs he found around the place. He sat for some time just gazing into the flames and then said out loud, "I'm sorry '8', I still don't know why I did it, was it right or wrong, how can I know? Was I being merciful or a murderer?"

He was startled to receive a reply. A girlish giggle and then a voice saying. "Peeta Mellark, why do you even trouble yourself over my death?"

He looked up and there she stood, young and pretty as the day she'd appeared in her interview with Caesar Flickerman in the Capitol. She was even wearing the same lovely green evening dress she had worn then, which seemed a little incongruous out here in the wilds. She smiled at him and came to sit next to him by the fire, as she did so her clothing smoothly morphed into her more suitable woodland outfit, consisting of a sweatshirt, waterproof jacket, jeans and walking boots which she'd once worn and her hairstyle became far less formal and fussy, turning into a simple braid not disimilar to Katniss's prefered style, although her hair was auburn. When she got closer he noticed she was semi-transparent, the flames shone visible through her body as she drew near his camp-fire and passed in front of it.

She smiled at him as she sat down and said. "You were my saviour Peeta, why do you beat yourself up about finishing me? The wound I'd suffered was mortal but it might have taken me hours of torment to die. You stopped the pain and set me free, I bless you for your compassion. Clove was finally able to join us last night thanks to Katniss and she told me you two were back in this Arena. Rue's been watching over Katniss on and off and she told me about the horrible nightmares you've both been having, so I had to come back here tonight to help set your mind at rest. I have nothing but thanks for your kindness and I am sure it was no more than human decency that made you come back and stop my pain. Don't give it another thought Peeta. The man who could go on with Katniss and achieve what you both did together is not capable of cold blooded murder."

Then the ghost of the girl leaned in as if to kiss him on his cheek. Of course he felt no contact but the spot where her lips would have been felt momentarily warm, which surprised him, since he seemed to remember hearing stories told that ghosts were always cold.

Peeta said. "So Clove really did come to see Katniss last night then! It seems I have some 'humble pie' to eat, I'd best find out the recipe and bake one when I get back." He said smiling.

The girl smiled in return at what he said and replied. "I don't think Katniss will be too mad at you, after all it was a pretty incredible story she told you."

Peeta nodded then said, "Thank you for this visit my dear, I'm so glad you came to see me, this has really helped set my mind at rest. I'm ashamed to say I can't even remember your name, I simply knew you by your District, as '8', whilst you obviously know mine. What do they call you?"

Alia, it's Alia Westerman, Peeta, and of course you don't remember my name. I don't blame you since you only had eyes for one girl Tribute and were terrified for her safety. As to me knowing you, well you were the consort of the 'Girl On Fire', you two were the big news. Everyone in Panem knew who you were then and who you both still are, even to this day."

Suddenly another female voice broke in from beyond their circle of firelight and said. "You can say that again Alia, and 'The Boy With The Bread' is not only famous, he has nice buns too! How come you get a sneaky kiss and not me? I was his ally for a little while after all." Looking up Peeta saw another face he knew well, the beautiful face of Glimmer, the former District 1 Career was cheekily grinning at them both.

Peeta was utterly shocked, not so much at the arrival of another ghost, although that was strange enough, but because Alia then giggled at what Glimmer said and showed no hostility to her arrival, despite the fact that Glimmer was the former girl Career who'd bungled her murder and left her there to die in pain.

"Whoa! Hold on!" Peeta said. "This is getting too weird, one ghost at a time like Katniss met, that I can just about go with, but two at once! And in any case Alia, you should hate Glimmer, she's the one who left you here wounded and dying, forcing me to make the decision to finish you off. What's going on here?"

Glimmer, who had arrived already wearing more suitable outdoor gear, smiled at Peeta and Alia and sat down by the fire with them both, saying; "Well Lover Boy, it's like this. As I believe Clove told Katniss last night, being dead gives you a whole new perspective on things, you can take 'the long view' and are forced to be honest with yourself. I soon came to realise that what I'd done to Alia was really shitty, an awful thing to do! It's bad enough that we were forced to try to kill one another, but I should at least have had the decency to have done so cleanly, not leave her to suffer like I did. Thank you for correcting my mistake Peeta and being so kind to dear Alia. After all we Careers were supposed to be 'professionals' and my attack on her was rank amateurishness and callousness at it's worst. I apologised so many times to her, both for what I'd done and how badly I did it. Thankfully Alia has also learned to see some things differently and eventually she accepted the truth of my shame over what I did to her. Believe it or not it's now 'bygones', we're good friends now and hang out together a lot, that's why I'm here tonight with her."

Alia smiled and said; "Yeah, that's right Peeta, certainly the pain was horrible, but it goes away and then thinking about it I realised that I too would have happily killed Glimmer if I'd got the chance to, in order to survive, to so-called 'win' The Hunger Games. Not that anyone ever really could, because 'victory' was a sham and no more than a passport straight to a haunted and horrible life. One of being sexually exploited by the degenerates in The Capitol and being forced to 'Mentor' other poor kids, then watching them being sent off to the Arena to face an almost certain horrific death. But at the time, because we'd been brainwashed, both Glimmer and myself were ignorant of what so-called 'victory' would really mean and we both thought we wanted it.

The young girl's ghost went on, saying; "So then Peeta, given that I would cheerfully have murdered Glimmer myself then in all fairness I could scarcely blame her for killing me, although I must admit that for quite some time I was more than a bit unhappy about her doing it so badly. But like she said, I've forgiven her now, after all I was her only real 'cold blooded' kill. Prior to that she killed no-one other than in the 'kill or be killed' frenzy of the Cornucopia 'bloodbath' and despite her training she had never been in a such a situation for real, had never had to kill a real live person in cold blood, only training dummies that didn't beg for mercy or bleed. It was her lack of experience and nervousness that were to blame for her bungling the job, rather than intentional cruelty. Anyway, Glimmer may once have been a murderess but her remorse is genuine, plus she's clever, beautiful and fun to be around, now that she can't kill me anymore that is. All the boys love her, she's a real 'party animal' knows where and when all the fun things are happening and I get to ride on her wave of popularity." Then she cheekily stuck her tongue out at Glimmer and both girls again giggled.

Peeta shook his head in amazement, grinning at this bizarre turn of events and said, sounding astonished; "And there was me thinking I was beginning to get the hang of understanding women, but you two, you're something else, you really are. Anyway, it's taught me one lesson meeting the pair of you again, that all that angsty guilt I was feeling is nonsense! In the end one way or another we all die and there's time enough to sort things out when we leave this earth. We should just enjoy it as much as we can whilst we're here.

"Glad we could be of help setting your mind at rest Peeta." Alia said.

Then Glimmer asked. "I need to see Katniss tonight whilst I'm here Peeta, is that okay with you?"

"Yeah, sure Glimmer, after Clove's friendly visit I'm sure she'll be glad to see you. She's up in our tent by the tracker jacker tree. Talking of that, I felt so guilty that I couldn't get you away from those horrible bugs, I've had many nightmares about it, although I nearly died myself and it was sheer panic for all of us. To see what those horrible stings were doing to you was awful, you got the worst of their attack and were such a mess. I'm so glad you're beautiful again now Glimmer." I know Katniss sometimes feels a little bit guilty about it too, but for her it was 'kill or be killed', she's got a reasonably clear conscience about the issue."

"I know it was self defence on Katniss's part Peeta and I don't blame her in the least, or you for not trying to save me. Had you tried it would simply have meant you'd have died as well, so please don't blame yourself. Could you give me a while alone with Katniss though, we really need to talk and I have little time left here."

"Of course I will Glimmer, bless you both for coming back to see me and thank you again girls for putting my mind at ease, I feel a great burden has been lifted. That's two nightmares about this place I doubt I'll ever have again."

Glimmer then leaned over and kissed Peeta on the cheek as Alia had earlier and once again he felt the warmth of the girl's lips on his cheek. "Bye Peeta, she said, see you later. Are you going to keep this hunk company for a little while Alia, whilst I visit Katniss?"

"I sure will Glimmer, and I'll see you back here later, we need to go by dawn don't forget."

"I won't, and don't you two go getting up to anything you shouldn't do in the meanwhile." Glimmer said, winking and smiling at the pair as she got up from the camp-fire and walked off into the trees.

**A Glimmer of Understanding.**

Katniss was still fast asleep in the small tent when Glimmer's ghost arrived. Rather than wake her she decided to insert herself into her dream.

Katniss was dreaming about a time when Rue and herself had been sat in the wood, talking together about their love for their families and sharing anecdotes about them, it was one of the few peaceful lulls that they'd had in which to relax. However, Katniss was fully aware, as is often the case with many people, that this was a dream and was not, unlike the previous night with Clove, a real event. She knew it was simply a memory of a happy time replaying in her mind. A time when she had felt safe with a loved friend.

Katniss soon realised the dream, which was one of the better ones she sometimes experienced, had begun to change. Katniss heard footsteps approaching through the woods and turned to see Glimmer emerging from the trees. This she knew had not happened before and she also knew that Glimmer would, in any case, have been dead by the time in which this particular dream was set.

Glimmer was, however, smiling and not, as Katniss felt she had the right to be, exhibiting any aggression. "Hello Katniss." Glimmer said. "I've just been talking with Peeta and Alia by her old camp-site He told me you were here and that I could drop by. Don't worry, I wish you no ill will and in any case could do you no harm now, even if I wanted to."

"Are you really here Glimmer or is this just a dream, only you seem more solid than Clove did last night." Katniss asked her.

"In this case it's both." Glimmer smiled at her. "I really am here in the Arena but this time instead of waking you I let you sleep on and just slipped into your dream. I guess I'm just more considerate than Clove. But she's getting better, being stuck here for so long seems to have taught her some lessons and she's almost human now."

Glimmer smiled at Katniss who couldn't help giggling a little at what she's said. The former Career then went on, saying "By the way, thank you so much for freeing her from this place, it's great to have her back with us again. Nobody is exactly sure how she managed to get stuck here and unable to 'move on' but the consensus seems to be it was her poor mental state when she died, that it was her violent psychosis that held her here. Rather, that is, than it being down to her being any more 'evil' than the rest of us Career dupes that the Capitol and our Districts brainwashed. Another theory is that it was the 'Powers of Light', who decided that a peaceful time here alone would be healing for her soul and help clear her mind. Either way Cato's been a so sad, an inconsolable mess alone without her. I suppose that for both of them it could be seen as 'just punishment' for what they did, but if that's the case then why only those two and not the rest of us? But in any case it's good to see Cato smiling again now they're reunited."

Katniss looked around and saw that the spot where Rue had been sitting was now empty. She felt a little sad she'd gone and it must have showed on her face.

Seeing this Glimmer said consolingly, "You know she wasn't real Katniss, that was just a memory you were reviewing, so you've lost nothing because you can have that dream again anytime you like. Don't worry though, in any case you'll be seeing Rue for real again before you leave this Arena, that's something she asked me to tell you. Anyway, listen up 'Fire Girl', I could make big speeches of forgiveness for your killing me in such a horrible fashion, but what's the point, Clove said it all last night, all that stuff about redemption and getting a new perspective on things. I must admit that it was not a nice way to go, but then again we were all trying to kill you, in fact if I wasn't such a lousy shot I'd have done so with that bow. You were fully justified in using whatever means you could to save yourself. She's damn smart, that little tree top friend of yours, I'd never have thought of using those bugs as a weapon.

Glimmer went on to say; "I know I must have looked a horrible mess when you saw me after the attack and you came to get the bow, but I was dead and beyond all the pain and the horrible hallucinations. Well you know how it felt, you had a dose of that nasty bug venom yourself. So buck up Katniss, be the 'Girl on Fire' again. Stop mopeing and distressing over past tragedies, you did some bad things, sure, as we all did, but we were not the instigators. Those who were mainly responsible are now dead and can't hurt any of us ever again, so it's over! You, Peeta and the rebels have totally transformed Panem and it is now unrecognisable from it's old disgusting self. So go on with your life Katniss Everdeen, have babies with that hunky Baker Boy of yours, live, enjoy, don't forget us but please remember us as we are now, not as the fools and murderers we were conned into being back then."

Katniss smiled and almost tried to hug Glimmer, stopping at the last moment thinking it wasn't possible. But then Glimmer smiled at her and said "Go ahead girl, it won't work in the real world, but that's not where we are at the moment. It might be possible here in a dream, I wouldn't know 'cos I've never tried it."

So Katniss hugged her and found that indeed it was possible, as both young women kissed each other on the cheek. Then Glimmer said. "Well it was nice seeing you again Katniss Everdeen, make sure it's Katniss Mellark soon, you promise me?

Katniss blushed and nodded. Then she said, "We'll meet again someday Glimmer, next time as friends. Please ask Cinna to organise a party for Peeta and I when we eventually get there will you?"

Glimmer grinned, and replied; "Yep, I sure will, but I'll do the decorating and most of the arrangements, I'm the 'party animal' after all, I'm famous for it! Cinna will be too busy to do it all in any case, he'll have his work cut out designing all our dresses. By the way, he asked me to say hi and that he loves you very much."

"Please tell Cinna that I love him too and that I'll see him later." Katniss replied, smiling.

Glimmer got up to leave, saying "I must be off now and go and stop dear Alia from seducing your boyfriend, she's such a flirt. It'd never work out anyway, they're such different people, worlds apart really." She grinned.

Katniss grinned back at her, then sat up fully awake in her tent and whilst reaching for her boots said "Hold on Glimmer, I'm feeling wide awake now anyway, I'll come with you and say hello to Alia as well, before you both go. I never really knew her much, other than as just another face at the Training Centre, it'd be nice to meet properly at last. And as to her seducing my boyfriend, I very much doubt there's any ectoplasmic 'hanky panky' going on. Peeta's too 'noble a spirit' for that, he's really quite shy with other girls.

Glimmer waited as Katniss dressed warmly and then both the living and ghostly young woman headed off together the few hundred yards through the moonlit trees, soon arriving at the camp fire, which was blazing merrily and sending red sparks skyward, Peeta having stoked it up with some larger branches.

They heard Alia and Peeta laughing loudly as they approached and then as the duo entered the circle of firelight Peeta winked at Alia and then said to Katniss , "Hello my love, are you okay? Only you look like you've seen a ghost!" Then they all burst out laughing hysterically.

Eventually, when the mirth had died down Glimmer said to Katniss, "And this is the guy you say is shy with other women? He seems pretty relaxed to me."

Katniss grinned at her and replied. "Oh it's only live women he sometimes has a problem with, when it comes to dead ones it seems he's quite the charmer."

"That's okay then, as long as it doesn't get 'physical', 'cos there are laws against that sort of thing." Glimmer replied, grinning back at Katniss.

"Necrophilia isn't your style is it Peeta?" Katniss asked.

Peeta simply poked out his tongue and blew her a raspberry as his only reply.

"That's what makes me love him so much girls, he's so mature." Katniss smiled. "So anyway, it looks like you two have been having a nice chat whilst Glimmer's been with me. Hi Alia, it's nice to really meet you at last, I take it from all the laughing as we got here that Peeta and yourself have resolved any old 'issues' between you both."

Alia smiled at Katniss and replied. "There were no 'issues' Katniss. What Peeta did for me I always felt was a blessing, an act of compassion and now he knows it too, it's all bygones and never were's."

Yep, I think that's another nightmare or two gone up in smoke." Peeta said, smiling. "By the way Katniss, you won't be surprised to learn that I now completely believe what you told me about meeting Clove last night. Sorry for doubting you my love. I'm gonna look a bit of an idiot when the video of that riverside chat gets aired, cos I'll have to eat my words in the commentary. As far as I'm concerned the evidence that it really happened is pretty conclusive. In fact I asked Alia if it would be possible to film a ghost, but sadly it isn't, they have no physical presence to reflect light, their images are created directly in our minds and won't show up on a camera. It's a big shame as we'd make a fortune with a real verifiable 'ghost film'. Anyway, how'd you and Glimmer get on, girly chat all sorted?"

We're fine Peeta, Glimmer and I have been having a nice talk, We don't bear any grudges either. It didn't take us long to work that out, so we've also been planning a party we'll be having some time later when you and I get to 'heaven'. I'm gonna make you take dancing lessons Peeta Mellark, 'cos Glimmer and Cinna are going to be planning a massive welcome party for our 'heavenly' arrival. On the walk over here Glimmer suggested we make it a formal ball and I agreed. I'd love an excuse to wear one of Cinna's beautiful gowns again."

Peeta was a terrible dancer, he had to admit Katniss was right, and the idea of having to learn to do so properly was not one he cheerfully entertained. Katniss, Alia and Glimmer all just grinned at Peeta's discomfiture, he could scarcely believe it but his night had just got even weirder!

"Maybe there's still some tracker jacker venom soaked into the ground under that tree, I'm really still in the tent and this is all a hallucination?" He desperately thought to himself for a second or two, then rejected the idea as baseless rationalisation, accepting the events for what they were, genuine but strange.

The first light of a dawn sun, although still well below the horizon, was beginning to hit the high wispy clouds above the arena, making them glow a faint pink. Glimmer and Alia stood up and Glimmer said, "Well you two, we'd best be off, we shouldn't stay here in daylight or who knows what, we might even get stuck here like poor Clove did for so long. We'll see you again, but hopefully not too soon. Bless you both, have a good life and a long one, know we love you and will be waiting to greet you when the time comes. By the way Katniss, as I said earlier Rue wants to see you tonight, so be sure and be at the place where she died. She's bringing a companion with her to say hello as well."

"Bless you both," Katniss replied. "I'll look forward to tonight then and thank you for everything you two. Bye Glimmer, Bye Alia. See you later."

"Bye loves," Peeta added. "See you both in a while."

Glimmer replied, "Until later then," and Alia said, "Bless you both, have a great life." Then after kissing them both on the cheek again the young women's ghosts faded away, waving happily as they went.

"Well we'd best get back to the tent and try and get a bit more sleep then Katniss, it looks like we'll be up all tonight as well." Peeta said.

"Okay, but I don't know if I will get much sleep, I'm so excited 'cos I'll be seeing little Rue again tonight!" She beamed with excitement and joy at Peeta, who kissed and hugged her and after extinguishing the fire led her off to their small tent for another nap.

**The Blessing in the Wood.**

That day, after rising in the late morning, having in fact achieved a few more hours sleep, Peeta and Katniss went walking back to their cache by the Memorial at the old Cornucopia site, to restock with food and get more fresh water. By going direct through the woods and not going back to the river and following it's meanderings the distance was cut in less than half, so they arrived in time for a late lunch. They had a picnic there, sat by one of the old launch pedestals which had been left in place in their circle and enjoyed the sunshine which was still bright and fairly warm. With their camera running they gave a detailed account of the previous night's 'visitors', then began to discuss the implications of what they'd been told.

"You know what Katniss? Peeta said, sounding very relaxed. "I don't think I will be having any of those nightmares about what happened to us in the Arenas anymore. And thankfully the other nightmares and 'episodes', the ones due to being imprisoned and hijacked in the Capitol, are fairly rare anyway and are getting less intense. I can usually tell what's real or not real now and Janny, my therapist, has really helped me with the bad memories about that time, although she says I may always suffer some 'flashbacks'. But as far as here and the other arena are concerned I think all my old demons are gone, or rather they aren't demons any more, but angels."

Katniss smiled at him and teasingly replied, "Angels eh? I thought you and Alia were getting on a bit too well when Glimmer and I turned up at the fireside last night. I can see I'll have to keep a close eye on you two when she's around!"

Peeta tried to splutter out a denial of any amorous intent, but Katniss just laughed at him, saying, "Only winding you up sweetheart, Alia may not be exactly an 'angel' but I think she realises that you're 'out of bounds' and if she tried anything I'd 'clip her wings' for her."

Peeta got her joke and laughed, feeling relieved that she really did trust him. Then he secretly smiled to himself thinking, 'Perhaps I was flirting just a little bit, come to think of it, but to be fair romance was never my 'strong suit' and I probably need the practice.'

He then got more serious and went on to further explain his feelings about the benefits of the couple having returned to their old Arena, saying; "Katniss, I think that even the nightmares that involved other people than those we've so seen here so far, as well as the ones that originated in the second Arena we were forced into feel far less traumatic, now that I know so much love and forgiveness are possible. You know what? I think that even if I met Cato's ghost now that he'd no longer frighten me. I'm glad he's got his Clove back, he may have been a total bastard, but he was a brave total bastard and he deserves to have his 'warrior girl' at his side. Perhaps she'll even be able to 'civilise' the bloody git a little, since she's turned over a new leaf." Peter grinned.

"I agree, those two are perfect for each other and I'm glad they're back together. Apart from both having been vicious murderers they really were quite cute together." Katniss smiled broadly, making Peeta realise what she's said was at least part 'tongue in cheek'.

Finishing their meal and packing away the extra supplies that they needed from their cache into their backpacks the pair headed out to hike to the clearing in the wood where Rue had been killed.

The place was deep into the woods and once again the sun was getting low when they arrived, casting a beautiful dappled light into the open space. Katniss was, at first, a little sad and nervous about entering the clearing, her feelings being that it was almost a 'holy' place. A place somehow apart from the rest of the world. To her it was the true memorial for her fallen friend. Peeta took Katniss's hand as they stood at the clearing's edge, squeezed it gently and said, "Buck up 'Fire Girl' Rue's gonna be coming to see you soon, you don't want her to see you looking unhappy do you?"

They set up their little tent a few feet from the spot where the young girl had died and afterwards Peeta pulled out something from his backpack that Katniss didn't even know he had with him, a small bottle of red wine and a couple of plastic tumblers. He filled their 'glasses' and then pulling Katniss to her feet he took the bottle with the remaining wine over to the exact spot where Rue had once lain, dead and covered in the flowers Katniss had gathered. Setting up their camera/recorder on a fallen log positioned to cover the scene he took hold of Katniss in a tight embrace and kissed her.

He said; "If I may I want to do something Janny's taught me Katniss, something that's very old. It's something special, like what you did for Rue with the flowers and your salute. It's something that even pre-dates Christianity. It is a way to show respect for the dead, a way to give thanks for their lives, for their love and to honour their memory."

Katniss nodded her permission and Peeta then gently up-ended the bottle in his hand, letting the remaining wine flow onto the ground onto the spot where Rue had died.

He said, "Blessed Be Rue, we give thanks that you brought light and friendship into this dark place and are eager to see you again tonight. Blessed Be also all those who suffered and died in this Arena and the many similar ones created by men's evil, be you previously our friends, foes or strangers to us from long ago. Know that you are loved, missed and not forgotten.

Then Katniss and Peeta both drank deeply from the wine in their beakers and then tipped the last of it onto the ground as an additional 'offering'.

Katniss was crying copiously and she said. "That was beautiful Peeta, It's was like nothing I've ever seen before, spirituality without religion, ritual without dogma, it was amazing."

"Like I said, it's something I learned from Janny my therapist. She is interested in ancient religions and spirituality and she is teaching me some of this old stuff, she says it may be calming to my soul. I think she's right."

"It certainly was calming to mine Peeta, perhaps when we get back to District 12 we should both work with Janny and try and learn and more of this stuff. I was never one for religion, I never saw how any just and loving God could permit The Hunger Games to exist, but this is different, this is 'real'."

Peeta told her, "I had initially intended to do this at the Memorial site, it seemed the right place before I arrived here, but this clearing seems even more appropriate, it is a far more 'sacred' place and far more important to you Katniss my love. In any case I now have something else very important that I want to do back at the Memorial before we leave. For now though, to practical matters, it's getting dark, it'll be cold later and we'll need plenty of firewood for tonight. Let's gather lots before it gets too dark to see it."

The pair then set about gathering dead wood with a will, until the deepening twilight brought a halt to their activities. They then sat around the fire as it burned gently, eating supper and with a pot of coffee brewing by the fire's heat. Then using the camera's built in light intensifier to amplify the firelight and compensate for the gathering gloom and with it set up on a small rock by their camp they videoed a section about the 'ceremony' they'd carried out, plus some more about the healing effect of the previous nights events and also what they'd discussed on that afternoon's trek to the clearing.

**Killer and Victim**

By the time they finished it was around midnight and the moon was rising when Peeta said, "Do you think it's worth us going to bed Katniss? I'm really not that tired, but how are you?"

"Sleep, are you kidding Peeta! I couldn't, I'm just so anxious to see little Rue again, this wait is killing me."

Then a kindly sounding male voice spoke from the darkness outside their circle of firelight, startling them and saying, "Then I'm glad to say your wait is over Katniss, here she is, go and say hello honey. And Rue, looking 'pretty as a picture', her hair in bunches tied by ribbons and wearing her blue 'interview dress' stepped into the firelight and walked over to hug and kiss Katniss. The two of them were soon crying tears of happiness and saying how much they'd missed each other. Katniss, with streaming tears, was saying how sorry she was not to have got back in time to save her life, with Rue telling her it didn't matter and she should not blame herself, that she believed her death in the Arena had been more or less a certainty, almost pre-ordained before she'd even entered the place and that at least thanks to Katniss she'd not died alone, terrified and unloved.

Then, with the pair regaining some degree of emotional control the little girl walked over to Peeta and said: "I never knew you as well Peeta, but I saw you two together in the Training Centre and on the Interview evening and you looked so well suited to each other. I'm so grateful to you both for all that you've done for my family and all the Districts, you were so brave, both of you. You, Katniss and the Rebels have remade the our world. Thank you. Then she hugged and kissed Peeta as well.

It was then that Peeta noticed something very odd indeed, how did she do that? Rue was apparently solid, a warm, living little girl, not an insubstantial ghost.

His puzzlement must have been obvious, as the unknown male who was barely visible at the edge of the ring of firelight chuckled and said, "Yes Peeta my friend, here in this clearing and on this night she is real, a living, breathing little girl again. Your friend Janny has probably told you that this time of year is known a Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival when the dead may return to console the living who love and miss them The Powers of Light have granted this night as a reward for all that you and Katniss have done and have had to go through. It is an incredibly rare event for them to intervene directly to change reality, but you two deserve it, and so does Rue. It is because she was a total innocent when she died that this physical return is possible. But in any case Rue's 'afterlife' is somewhat different to that of the rest us. Think of her as what the Christians call an 'Angel', she has been granted abilities beyond those permitted to most of the dead. In her kindness she insisted she be allowed to use her powers, so that that I too could be solid and near human again in this one place, whilst I'm acting as her 'escort'."

"And just who are you my mysterious friend, out there in the gloom? Please come into the firelight so we can see you properly." Peeta replied.

"Very well Peeta." The voice said. "But I don't know how welcome I'll be." And then Marvel stepped forward into the fire's glow, drawing a gasp of shock from both Katniss and Peeta.

It took them both a while to recover their composure, not because he was another ghost of the dead, they had both become completely used to that idea, no, it was because Marvel, Rue's murderer, had apparently been chosen by her to be her 'escort' to the clearing. They were shocked that incredible though it seemed, she trusted him.

"I thought I might not be very welcome Rue." Marvel said smiling sadly at the little girl. "Nevertheless I still hope it'll be worthwhile my coming."

Then he turned to Katniss and said. "Katniss, you and Peeta have learned much of forgiveness whilst you've been here, of what is possible from those who have already visited you. I hope and believe this has eased your minds and helped cure your damaged spirits. But what you now see is the very purest and strongest kind of forgiveness, the forgiveness of a wronged innocent is the most powerful and transformative force there is. Rue has forgiven me for what I once did to her. It was her love and forgiveness that saved me from going to the 'other' place. That place of darkness and despair that Presidents Snow, Coin and so many other tyrants, killers and truly evil men and women end up. My dearest friend Rue saved me from what the Christians call hell and there are no words of gratitude strong enough to describe my feelings towards her. The shame I felt for what I did almost destroyed me, but she dragged me back from the gates of hell itself, she saved me! By now Marvel was crying and broke down sobbing.

Then Rue ran over to the crying young man and hugged him, saying, " There there silly Marvel, I know you are truly sorry for what you did and you know that all the darkness is in the past. Cheer up, this is supposed to be a joyful occasion and sad tears are not meant to mar it. Only tears of joy are allowed here tonight.

Pulling himself together at Rue's loving words Marvel smiled at her and said, "But those were tears of joy, or at least gratitude Rue." And the young girl smiled in return and hugged him tighter.

Then Marvel carried on speaking to Katniss saying. "I have something else I need to tell you Katniss. I forgive you for killing me as well, in fact I thank you for it! Otherwise how many more innocents might I have killed? What sort of monster was I becoming? You did me a favour dear Katniss, both you and Rue together saved me from what I might have been, bless you my dear.

Upon hearing this Katniss's former hatred of the young man melted away. She stood up and walked over to Marvel, held his hand, kissed his cheek and replied. "And if you can forgive me for my vengeful killing then you'll make me a better person too Marvel. What I did was wrong, I killed you out of fury and frustration, it made me spiteful! It was a deadly frustration that nothing I could do would ever save Rue's life and that I had been just seconds too late returning here. Thank you for bringing my dear Rue back to see me here tonight."

Katniss then smiled at Marvel and Rue, and returning to Peeta's side she firmly but happily said; "Now enough of this angst and past sorrows. Let's have some fun! Rue, as you're alive here tonight can you eat sweeties? Only I have a big chocolate bar in my rucksack, would you like it? And Marvel, there's still some food in the packs if you're hungry and we've got fresh coffee.

Marvel declined to eat but accepted a mug of coffee. But a grin spread across the young girl's face at the mention of chocolate and Rue replied, "What, a whole bar to myself! I never had so much before. Then can we play hide and seek? The moon's full and rising and there should soon be enough light to see by well enough, once our eyes get used to it."

Katniss nodded and smiled, saying, "Yes okay Rue, but only if you stay on the ground, we can't climb trees as well as you so that'd be cheating. And don't go too far from this clearing, there are wild animals in these woods that have come down from the northern wilds, bears and such and I wouldn't want you harmed."

Rue looked at Katniss with a strangely puzzled expression on her face and then grinned, saying, "Okay 'big Sis', but you forget I'm an angel now, nothing can harm me and no wild animal would even try. In any case I've sent all of them away from here for the night, but even if I hadn't I can do this." And thus saying she took Katniss by the hand and together they soared straight up into the treetops, then gently glided down again, as graceful as a pair of mockingjays.

xxx

Over two hours later Katniss, Peeta and even Marvel who had also joined in the game of hide and seek were tired, but Rue still had boundless energy. As they sat by the fire getting their breath back Rue said to Katniss, "Please tell me about the Mockingjay dress you wore, the one Cinna made you as your wedding dress. I heard about it from one of the Capitol girls who died in the attack on the city. Not everyone there was on President Snow's side, as you know. I have lots of good friends who were sadly killed in the fighting supporting the Rebels. Anya was one of them, she was very young but was carrying messages for local Resistance fighters that had to be kept 'off air'. She got shot by Peacekeepers. Anyway, she told me about a marvellous dress you wore that made President Snow so furious.

So Katniss told Rue all about the incredible mockingjay dress that Cinna had created, the white wedding dress that transformed by false fire as she spun into a black feathered representation of a mockingjay. They both grinned as she told her friend how furious it had made the former President, how he'd looked like he would explode when he saw it. Then she sadly said, "My wonderful little sister Prim would have loved to have been there to see it, but now she might never see me in any of Cinna's beautiful creations, she died in the attack on Snow's mansion did you know?"

"But of course I do Katniss." Rue replied. "Prim's one of my very best friends, we're practically sisters! She wishes she could have come here tonight as well, but sadly she couldn't. Thanks to you volunteering to take her place she was never here as a Tribute in this Arena for The Hunger Games. This meeting place has been set aside solely for those who fought here originally, so sadly she had to remain behind."

But then Rue gave a sly grin and said, "She's very sad about it, but as you both know all too well Katniss and Peeta, this Arena is particularly infamous for last minute rule changes, so don't despair! We may well find a way to sneak Prim in, as well as some other members of your families, plus other old friends and ex-foes might just get in here yet, before you have to leave. You've plenty of supplies, far more than the three days worth you've used up so far, so even though I'm pretty sure you've both already healed enough to go home why not take the opportunity for a little vacation here? It's a lovely place now that all the killing, hatred and fear have gone, so there's no reason not stay here a few more days and I've got a feeling this 'party' is not over.

When I get back I have some serious lobbying to do, along with Cinna whose a wily fox and wise in the ways of 'heavenly politics', plus I've several other friends who'll help me. We'll be working along with lots of influential people we know to try and make history repeat itself, with luck more 'last minute rule changes' might just happen here once again."

**The Beauty Revealed**

Katniss had noticed that sometimes Rue sounded older and more grown up than when she'd first known her, even though she still looked exactly the same. Hearing what Rue had just said, and how it had sounded she asked her, "Rue, do people still grow up in 'heaven' if they die young?"

"Ah, so you've caught me out then Katniss, you clever girl." Rue smiled. "Whilst we spirits do not age, as such, we can appear any age we wish to, up to our real 'mortal' one. Up 'till now I've stayed in the age you knew me for this meeting because I wanted to relate to you as I did when we first met as friends and allies. Would you like to see me at my proper age, the one I would be now?"

"I would very much like that Rue." Katniss replied. And Peeta nodded too.

"Very well Katniss, Peeta, but brace yourselves, I'm hideous." Rue grinned.

Then the twelve year old child grew taller and more adult before Katniss and Peeta's astonished eyes. Her body grew into that of a beautiful, graceful young woman in her late teens and her face changed also, from that of the pretty child they knew into one of a stunning beauty. Her hair grew long and straighter and fell from it's bunches into dark brown waves onto her flawless shoulders. Even Rue's clothing had transformed into a dress which, whilst still as beautiful and the same blue as her interview gown, was more suited to her new age and stature, it's ultra glamorous styling showed it could only have been designed by one person.

Peeta and Katniss were stunned by what had just happened and both gaped wordlessly in amazement.

Rue grinned and said, "See, I told you I was hideous, it looks like you two can't even speak you're so scared."

Peeta replied first saying, "My God, Rue, you're so beautiful, you must know it. That's why I have no words."

Katniss then said, "Oh, but your gorgeous Rue, I knew you had to be 'cos you were such a lovely child. But really this is beyond anything I expected. And that dress! It's by Cinna isn't it? It's unmistakeable."

"Thank you both so much." Rue beamed. "Yes Katniss this 'little number' is of course one of Cinna's, and you should see your sister Prim in the matching styled red one she wears when we both go to parties together. We make quite a stunning entrance in our matching 'frocks', even if I do say so myself."

Katniss instantly went to pieces, from joy to terrible sorrow in less than a second. Rue, seeing her crack up rushed over to help as Peeta supported her, stopping her from completely collapsing to the ground and holding her tightly. Watched by a concerned looking Marvel who also looked ready to rush in and aid him Peeta lowered her gently to the floor by the fire as Rue took her hand saying, "Katniss, sweetheart, what's wrong, did I say something bad?"

After a short while a sobbing Katniss, through tears and struggling to get the words out said; "No Rue, it's not what you said. It was just the vision of my lovely little sister Prim, all grown up and beautiful like you are. I missed it all as she grew, she was so young when she died. She'd only had one boyfriend and what with both the Arena's and then the war going on I was not able to be there for her anything like as much as I should have been. I so wish I had been able to be her big sister, protect her and give her advice. Then when you said about her wearing a dress like yours it hit me so hard, the loss, the sorrow, when will I see her again?" Then she broke down again and Katniss moaned softly to herself. "Oh Prim, I miss you, I need my 'little duck' but now she's gone forever."

Marvel stepped in with concern on his face and gently said, "But she's not gone forever, you know that Katniss, she's just 'somewhere else' at the moment and you'll be together again one day. And what's more if you need her to be your 'little duck' again, just like Rue here Prim can shift her age she can become so again, at least for a little while.

Peeta holding her hand told her. "Marvel's right my love, Prim's only 'in the other room' just a few footsteps away. You'll be together again all in good time, the new friends that we've made here have taught us that haven't they?"

"That's right Katniss." Rue said, putting her arm around her shoulders. "Listen to the boys, those who love us are never far away, no more than a heartbeat's distance. Their love never diminishes and one day, when it is time, there will be a joyful and complete reunion. You know this, you have seen the evidence here with your own eyes. This is not a matter of 'religious faith' whatever that is, it is a simple matter of fact. So stop crying honey and kiss your Peeta. I'll have one too if there's any going spare. I'll bet they're sweeter than that chocolate bar you gave me.

Katniss couldn't help but grin a little at that, and pulled herself together. She was helped to her feet and then did as she was told, kissing Peeta passionately on the lips and then Rue was also kissed, but more chastely in gratitude. Then she looked at Marvel, smiled and with open arms said, "C'mon then lummox, why should you be left out?" And kissed and hugged him as well!

Smiling and happy to see Katniss strong again Rue said. "Marvel and myself must go back soon, but like I said, why don't you two take a few more days vacation here? Don't be too eager to leave, District 12 will be fine by itself for a little while more, you've done more than enough for them and The Capitol to have earned a proper break."

Rue smiled and continued, saying; My friends and I will have a lot of bottoms to kiss or kick, there's bureaucracy to bypass even in 'heaven'. We're going to organise a little 'rebellion' of our own, I'm fairly sure we can talk most people around, but I'm thinking of one particularly stubborn guy who's in the group that deals with what you might think of as 'mortal relations'. He's an awful 'rulebook stickler'. I think I'll ask Thresh to go and loom over his desk for while, that should make him more flexible."

Rue grinned her old, cute 'little girl grin' at the thought of tormenting a bureaucrat and then said; "By hook or by crook never fear you two, several people who really want to see you again will be coming here before you go home. This isolated place is a unique facility and a one off opportunity, so why waste it? I promise it'll be worth the wait, meanwhile enjoy it here, relax, by mistake the Gamemakers created a pretty place and it's all yours, tax free and funded by the Capitol, even the weather is being nice and looks 'set fair' for a while longer, so what more could you want?"

Katniss and Peeta agreed they'd stay a few more days and would enjoy a nice break.

Rue smiled and then said mysteriously to Peeta, "Can I have a little word in private for a second before Marvel and myself leave.

He looked puzzled but replied, "Of course you can Rue."

"Step into my office then." Rue said and she led him a short way off into the trees. Once out of earshot of Katniss and Marvel she asked. "I hope you've got it with you?"

"Got what with me?" Peeta replied, sounding confused.

"Don't be silly Peeta." Rue smiled. "The thing you've been carrying around everywhere with you for nearly a year, you know full well what I mean!"

"Oh that." Peeta said shyly, "Yeah, it's in my rucksack."

"Good, now listen carefully, here's the plan"...

xxx

A couple of minutes later Rue and Peeta emerged from the trees to find a slightly puzzled Marvel and Katniss waiting for them. They both smiled a little guiltily and then Rue said, "Nothing to worry about, just clarifying with Peeta some arrangements about a little surprise I hope to set up. Anyway Katniss, Peeta, it's been wonderful to see you again but Marvel and myself better be going now, we've lots to arrange."

Then, after taking their leave as the first slivers of light began to appear on the horizon Rue and Marvel vanished.

**The Last Night.**

Peeta and Katniss had spent three days of deliriously happy and relaxed holiday together in their old Arena. They'd 'skinny dipped' in the freezing cold lake, emerging covered in goose bumps and shivering in each other's arms to rub each other dry in the big fluffy towels they'd brought on their trip to double as pillows. They'd made love in the sunshine on the riverbank, surrounded by the tall trees and song of the Mockingjays. They'd hunted in the woods, cooked their groosling and squirel kills over an open fire and slept in each others' arms by their camp-fire under the stars, not even bothering to put up their tent as they'd zipped their sleeping bags together and shared warmth. None of their old nightmares had troubled them and they had come to truly believe that at last they were free of them.

On the third evening they decided to camp not far from the Memorial, in the meadow by the side of the lake. They felt that even though they hadn't yet heard from Rue that they really should get back to District 12 the next day, as it was getting nearer to Haymitch and Effie's wedding and they needed to be home to arrange some things. They planned to recall their hovercraft to pick them up in the morning. However, in the early evening, after they'd finished their supper and were sat by their fire a familiar figure came to join them in their camp. It was Rue, she was back and beaming at them, looking jubilant and in her older 'real age' persona, but much more casually dressed in clothes better suited for where they were. She did however, remain just as solid and 'alive' seeming as she'd done earlier.

Peeta and Katniss were delighted to see her again and greeted her warmly. They asked her about her non 'ghostly' condition and she beamed at them, saying, "I got an extension on this, what can I say but somebody 'up there' likes me, but that ain't all! Unable to stop smiling Rue went on, saying, "We did it guys, we kicked their butts and they've conceded. The 'Powers of Light' have agreed, although to be fair they were never the real obstacle, it was some more 'petty' officials we had to 'arm twist' Everyone's coming to see you off and they'll all be here an hour or so before dawn, so we must be sure to be at the Memorial by then.

"Oh we're not likely to need sleep anyway, we had a good nap this afternoon." Katniss explained to her and added, smiling shyly, "We got a little, 'physical' earlier and needed a sleep to recoup some energy. We can nap on the flight back tomorrow in any case. Can you stay with us till dawn Rue? It's so lovely to have you back in my life." She said, smiling.

"Of course I'll stay Katniss." Rue replied, "Can I invite a few more friends along to make it a party?"

"Of course Rue." Peeta said. "The more the merrier."

Rue didn't say anything vocally, but evidently the invite went out as immediately Clove returned to the Arena, but this time with a familiar figure holding her hand.

It was none other than the arch Career, Clove's lover, Cato. However the young man who now appeared seemed a very different person from how Katniss and Peeta remembered him. Far more relaxed, still 'fighting fit' but with all his former bravado and aggression gone. He was wearing the simple 'tracksuit' type sports outfit he'd worn in the Capitol's Training Centre, as indeed was Clove, but it was obvious from their manner that neither of them had come to fight.

They both smiled at Katniss and Peeta, then Cato, all false pride gone, said softly; "I don't know how to thank you Katniss, you gave me my Clove back and now I have all I ever wanted, I was so alone and now we are one again. I don't deserve such kindness from either one of you, but believe me I am in your debt. Time is 'different' where we are now, much more 'flexible' and we two have been back together again for some 'apparent' time longer than it has been in your world. It's been long enough for us both to 'heal' some more. With Clove at my side I am a better man and she is calmer too."

Then smiling at his girlfriend Cato said, "You're not such a psycho bitch now are you my love?" Instead of blowing up as she once would have at his verbal provocation Clove simply smiled at Cato, nodded and kissed him. Cato continued, saying, "That goes for me too, once all I thought about was killing and winning a 'victory', but now I see that was all insane and pointless. Now we both know all will be well for us and that all we need is each other to be happy. I wish I could shake your hand Peeta, but that will have to wait 'till we are on the same 'plane' of existence, but, with your permission and hers may I kiss your young lady?

Peeta and Katniss both smiled and nodded, Cato stepped up and gave Katniss a chaste kiss, which, as she was by now expecting, she felt as a warm spot on her cheek, the imprint of Cato's lips.

Clove, still smiling lightened the formal mood by saying, "Sorry about the 'tracksuit' outfits by the way guys, we can change 'em if you'd prefer but it's what we like to slob around in. In any case we were both doing some training together when we got the 'call' from Rue and shot straight down here. After all, just 'cos one's dead there's no need to let yourself get out of shape. Cato and I would miss it anyway if we stopped training, it's been such a large part of our lives. But now it's good to know that it's not leading up to anything nasty like The Hunger Games, we just do it for fun. He beats me with spears, I beat him with knives, but in unarmed combat we're pretty much evenly matched most of the time believe it or not. He's much bigger and stronger than me but sometimes I can turn his strength against him, 'cos I'm faster, nastier and sneakier." She smiled at Cato who nodded ruefully in agreement, obviously from 'painful experience'.

Then Clove went on, saying, "But there's one thing we still both lack from our skill set though, we're lousy at archery just like Glimmer. Perhaps you'll teach us all when you eventually 'arrive' Katniss? Ever since I first saw you practising it at the Training Centre I've always wanted to be able to do that rolling shoulder dive thing you do with your bow in your hand, the one that ends up with you in a kneeling position ready to shoot. That's so cool!" Clove beamed in admiration.

"It'll be my pleasure Clove, and in return you can teach me your knife throwing techniques, I can't hit a barn door from twenty feet. Don't bother changing the training gear though, it's always suited you both anyway and you look better in it than Peeta and myself ever did, that's for sure." Katniss smiled.

Cato turned to Peeta, saying, "You can help out with the weight training too if you like Peeta. I remember when you lobbed that big heavy metal ball thing at us Careers in the Training Centre. I never thought it'd even get half way, but it was impressive I must say! For a second before it hit that rack I thought it'd bowl us down like skittles. Lots of us ex-Tributes and not just the Careers have started a little 'training club' and I have been attending for a while to try and take my mind off of missing Clove, it didn't work though."

Cato looked momentarily sad, but then squeezing his girlfriend's hand to reassure himself that his lonely time was over he carried on, saying; "Anyhow, the girls and guys there are planning to start holding some reasonably non-violent(ish) competitions. Not that anybody could get really hurt now in any case, but we're aiming at something like we've read about. It's an old pre-Panem sporting 'Games' tournament called The Olympics, but we'll be doing it with different events, more suited to what we know best. There'll be more types of manual weapons skills than in the original, and also all sorts of unarmed combat, climbing, pursuit and evasion games, both for teams and individuals, it's gonna be fun! You and 'Fire Girl' oughta enter as a team." He beamed and Peeta and Katniss and they said they'd look forward to it.

Just then a spectacularly glamorously dressed Glimmer in a semi transparent outfit not unlike the gold one she'd worn for her Capitol TV interview, along with Alia in a sophisticated and slinky emerald green evening gown and with her long auburn hair piled up in a stunning fashion both materialised by the fire. Glimmer smiled at Peeta and Katniss and said "Hi again you two, this is nice, I didn't expect to be seeing you both again so soon but we just got 'the call', thanks Rue! We were at a party but it was a bit slow and stuffy, lousy music and no decent 'nibbles'. This sounded much more fun and subversive so we slipped out before anyone could notice. Marvel will be along later with a guest, but he's taken it upon himself to go and tell some of the others to be here for the pre-dawn, as permission for us all to come was only granted last minute and he wants to be sure everybody knows about it who should. That boy never relaxes, anybody'd think he had a guilty conscience." Glimmer winked and grinned at Rue.

Then both the girls party outfits transformed, shape-shifting into far more practical and comfortable sweat shirts, jeans and trainers better suited to their current location and both their hairstyles changed to become simpler and more practical also. Then they all sat by the blazing camp-fire and began to chat and laugh together.

Bit by bit more people, both old friends and ex foes turned up as they sat around the fire and eventually quite a number were assembled. Thresh arrived looking strong, tall and fit as ever. He shook hands with Cato, slapped him on the back and then kissed Clove's hand, an eye boggling sight considering the history of mutual violence they all three had shared. He said a very polite hello to Peeta, thanked Katniss profusely for her loving care of Rue then kissed her cheek, as well as those of all the other girls around the fire. All that is bar one, as he finally took Rue in his arms, lifted her clean off of the ground and kissed her far more passionately on the lips, it was obvious they were now very much a happy couple. Katniss speculated that Rue had probably momentarily used her angelic powers, temporarily making Thresh as 'solid' as herself so that she and her boyfriend could kiss properly.

Marvel as had been promised eventually arrived, with the red headed girl Katniss had only previously known as Foxface. Her real name turned out to be Amber Finch, or as she told them just Finch as a nickname. Whilst initially a bit shy she soon relaxed and proved to be a delight, smart as a whip and very witty. However, Katniss and Peeta deliberately and discretely failed to ask Finch about how she'd died, as neither was quite sure if the berry poisoning had been accidental or intentional on her part and they felt it would be bad manners to enquire. As the party carried on into the night it got later and later, then earlier and earlier as all the former Tributes present all talked and laughed together in a big and merry circle round the well stoked up fire. Eventually Rue suggested that they all started to head towards the nearby Memorial, as it was getting nearer to dawn and those who had not yet arrived would be there soon.

**A Question Asked, With Friends.**

It was just over an hour 'till first light as the happy group from the camp-fire made their way towards the Memorial, which was only a few hundred yards away on the other side of the lakeside meadow.

The white marble of the children's statue palely shone, now more ghostly looking in the light of the low and waning moon than even the group of spirits who accompanied Katniss and Peeta did. By comparison and with the exception of Rue who remained 'alive' even though they were not solid and were all in ghostly form the group of former Tributes were far more colorful and 'real' than the statue figures, seeming to radiate a gentle light of their own.

The group reached a point near to where the statue was and stood, awaiting the promised arrival of many other's due to be there. Suddenly, in a part circle described by the still present arc of 'launch podiums' there were a host of other ghosts present. Amongst them were Katniss and Peeta's fathers, Peeta's mother, and to Katniss's delight her beloved sister Prim. Also present was Madge, the ex-mayor's daughter and Katniss's former friend who had originally given her the gold mockingjay pin, but who'd sadly died later in the District 12 bombing. There were also all the rest of the Tributes, former friends and foes alike from both their Arenas, along with those rebel friends they'd lost in the assault on the Capitol also present. They all made up a large throng in a long arc, described by the podiums and almost surrounding the memorial.

Those amongst them who had been particularly close to Katniss and Peeta in life then made their way towards them and the couple in turn ran towards their relatives. Katniss was hugged by both her sister's spirit and her father's. Katniss looked in astonishment at Rue and she smiled and winked at her saying, "Strictly speaking I didn't get permission to use my powers to do this, but I'll argue about it later if anyone objects." Peeta also greeted his own mother and father in similar fashion, as all the remaining large group by the podiums cheered enthusiastically.

Katniss could barely stand to let go of her father and Prim. He looked far healthier and younger than he ever had as a careworn miner and her beloved sister had appeared as the smiling young 'little duck' Katniss had known when she had volunteered for her at the Reaping, all those years earlier.

Her beaming father told her, "Katniss, darling girl, my songbird daughter, you did so well, to look after your mother and sister so bravely and strongly after I was killed. I'm so proud of what you achieved for everyone and I'm glad for what you and Peeta have together. Look at you, all grown up and a beautiful young lady! Prim here has hardly been able to wait to see you again. I had to stop her from trying to sneak in here earlier with your friends, but we who were not Tributes here are sadly only being granted a short time before we must take our temporary leave of you again." He sounded a little sad, but then smiled and said. "But at least you're now certain it will only be for a while and that we will keep watch over you.

Prim smiled at Katniss and said; "Katniss, darling Sis, I've missed you so much, thank you for taking care of my dear Buttercup, I'm so happy he managed to find his way back to you in '12' all the way from '13', I told you he's a smart cat! Don't worry about Lady, she is with us at home and she's happy, we've even found her a boyfriend, the only problem we have is keeping them both out of the flower beds."

Primrose grinned but then looking more serious she said; "When I was at Snow's mansion I heard you call my name just before I died, I'm so sorry you had to see that Sis, it was President Coin's horrible trick as you know. I don't blame Gale in the least, he was as badly deceived as we bomb victims were so you shouldn't you blame him if and when you see him again. Please don't worry about us two, Dad and I. We'll see you and Mother again when it's time and I already have a spare room prepared for you at home for when you and Peeta come to visit with us. Although time is different where we are now it still seems to have been so long that we've been apart. I've missed you so much Katniss."

"And I missed you so much as well Prim. You know you saved my life in both the Arenas, it was thinking about getting home to you and Mother that kept me alive, and Peeta of course, I'd never have made it without him." Katniss said.

Prim continued, now more happily, saying. "You know of course that this is not how I really look now, don't you Sis, Rue told you that didn't she? Would you like to see me as I really am?"

Katniss grinned at her sister and said, "I missed so much in your life Prim, of course I want to see my little sister all grown up. Show me how beautiful you are now, my 'little duck'."

Then Prim began to shape-shift, she grew taller even than Katniss and her young body began to take on more grown up and feminine curves. Her long hair unravelled from her braids and hung down like a waterfall, which shone like pale silver and gold in the moonlight. She became a beautiful young woman before Katniss's astonished eyes, and yes, as Rue had said earlier, she was now wearing a gorgeous dress, identical in styling to Rue's blue 'Cinna creation', but in a bright scarlet.

Her father beamed at his younger daughter with pride and then smiled at Katniss, jokingly saying, "So what do you think my young mockingjay, has our duckling turned into a swan?"

Katniss nodded happily and smiled at her father, then said to her sister, "Your so beautiful Prim, such a lovely young woman now, far prettier than me and taller too! I can't believe I've been so blessed as to see you this way. I never wanted you to grow up when you were alive, I loved my 'little duck', but now seeing you like this is so wonderful. Thank you for coming to show me how lovely you are now dear Sis."

Meanwhile Peeta had also been talking earnestly with his Father, and Mother. They both seemed to have undergone a massive change of heart since they'd been killed in the bombing of their District and now both seemed far gentler and more loving people. They were all three holding hands and smiling happily together.

Then Peeta catching sight of the transformed Prim out of the corner of his eye let out an involuntary gasp, then called over to her saying; "Wow, is that you Primrose? What happened to the knobbly kneed little girl I used to know back where we lived in '12'? You're a beautiful young woman now, I bet you're breaking hearts all over 'heaven'." Then smiling he said to Rue, "You best use those 'angelic powers' of yours to keep the wolves at bay, or Katniss and I might need to kick some boys asses ourselves when we get there."

"Don't worry Peeta." Rue smiled. "Prim is a good girl, just like me. We watch each other's backs when we go out on a 'girl's night' together and in any case there are no really nasty people in 'heaven'. Rue grinned and went on, saying, "But in any case I won't need to use my powers to keep us safe, because Clove's promised to teach us both a few moves to 'modify' any guys that get 'out of line'." Rue then said, "Anyhow Peeta, I thought you had something important to ask Katniss, now everyone's here as witnesses."

Reminded by Rue's prompt Peeta recalled what he meant to do and went over to his backpack which he'd left on the ground by the Memorial wall. Undoing the side pocket he removed a small red velvet coated box and returned to Katniss, Prim and their father. To the older man he simply said, "With your permission sir?"

Mr Everdeen obviously had worked out what was about to happen and nodded, happily. Then Peeta went down on one knee, opened the red box and took out a simple plain gold band and holding it out to Katniss. He said, "This was my mother's engagement ring, it was one of the few things from our house that survived the Capitol's bombing and has been passed down to generations of Mellark wives. No matter how poor we were our family never sold it. Miraculously it was found undamaged in the ruins of our bakery building when they were cleaned up. Mother so much wants you to have it. Katniss Everdeen my love, will you marry me?"

Katniss took Peeta's hand, she was leaking tears of joy, accompanied by her sister who was also crying happily, and as her father's ghost proudly looked on Katniss replied. "With all my heart I will marry you Peeta, I want us to be together, always."

Peeta smiled at her, winked and asked, "Real or not real?" Although he already fully knew the answer.

Katniss laughed gently at his joke and happily replied, "Real of course soppy." As he slipped the ring onto her finger.

The cheer that went up from the assembled encircling spirits who'd witnessed it was deafening, then all of them placed the three fingers of their hands to their lips and then gave them a united salute.

Peeta and Katniss, hand in hand then turned to scan the faces of all those assembled and as a faint glow appeared on the horizon Katniss said, "Thank you all for being here, thank you for your love and aiding Peeta and I to heal. We must both get home today as two dear friends of ours whom some of you know, Haymitch Abernathy and Effie Trinket, are also getting wed in a few days and we need to help with the arrangements. Peeta has a lot of baking and cake decorating to do and I'm needed to help decorate the hall where the wedding breakfast and party will be held. Once it's light we'll summon the hovercraft and be on our way. We will see you all again in good time, remember we love you."

Peeta added, "Katniss and I will never forget you all and thank you for your kindness. It's hopefully going to be many happy years that we'll have to live together, but now we know what awaits us we will never have to fear death in the way we did when we first entered this place. Thank you all for coming and we'll be along presently. Many Blessings All."

Most of the assembled spirits then began to melt away as it was getting very close to sunrise, but a select few, those who'd first visited them in the Arena, Rue, Marvel, Glimmer, Alia, Clove, plus in addition Cato who seemed glued to her side, along with their parents and Prim, all remained. Then there was one final surprise, as Cinna appeared amongst them. He had been standing quietly all the time nearby, just waiting a chance to rush in and congratulate them but not wishing to interrupt their family reunions and Peeta's unexpected proposal.

He beamed at Katniss and Peeta saying. I told you I was betting on you didn't I? It's a bet I won hands down and I couldn't be happier. Bless you both. Then turning to Katniss in particular he said; "I wish I could do more, but do you remember the white wedding dress I first made for you Katniss, the original prototype one that was not designed to transform into the Mockingjay form? I happen to know it survived intact and is in an undamaged storehouse in the Capitol. Effie knows where to find it and can contact the Capitol's fashion community to get it sent to you, I would be honoured if you would wear it for your wedding my dear."

Katniss beamed at her beloved stylist and replied, "Dear Cinna, the honour will be all mine and of course I'll wear it. Just be sure and have something spectacular waiting for me when I get to 'heaven', I don't want lovely Rue here or my beautiful sister Prim outshining me when I arrive at our Welcome Ball, even though they're both prettier than me." She beamed at the two younger girl's and poked her tongue out at them, cheekily.

She grinned at Cinna and he kissed her cheek, becoming solid and alive again, obviously with Rue's help. He replied to her as he did so by whispering into her ear, saying; "A little prettier they may just possibly be Katniss, that's arguable, but one thing is certain, beauty is not only about prettiness. You were radiant as my 'Girl on Fire' and I have a few ideas in mind that will be even more amazing than that. I've been thinking about St. Elmo's Fire rather than false flame and I think we can work with it. Fear not dear Mockingjay, you'll still be the 'Belle of the Ball'."

Then turning to the remaining spirits who were still present Cinna said, "Now we'd best return home. We may, just perhaps, see you again from time to time Katniss and Peeta, if you really desperately need us through your lives. If not then in any case you can be certain we'll all be at your wedding, even if we can only be there as invisible spirits. But for now I think that you'll both be fine until it's your time to rejoin us permanently. Don't forget, we are never more than a loving thought away and will be watching over you. Good luck in your lives, Peeta and Katniss, we love you and it has been wonderful to see you again, but for now we'd best all go home.

The couple got final kisses from everyone and as fingers of light began to reach up from the horizon all the remaining ghosts departed, leaving them alone in the meadow to enjoy a beautiful, pristine sunrise together. Then they summoned their hovercraft by communicator and made one final joint update recording on their video unit as they awaited their transport's arrival to take them home.

Peeta suddenly realised that it would be very interesting to review what the camera had captured using it's motion tracking sensors three nights previously, because he remembered it had been left running on automatic by accident, sat on it's rock near their camp-fire whilst Rue and Marvel had been visiting them in Rue's clearing. And at that time both Rue and Marvel had been in solid 'living' form. That footage if it had recorded anything might certainly make for an 'interesting' TV programme, he thought, grinning to himself as their hovercraft hove into view.

He hugged Katniss as it landed nearby, the main cargo hatch opened and their Avox friends waved to them in greeting, then they lifted their cache crate into the hold with an electric winch. Katniss and Peeta both boarded their craft hand in hand and departed the old Hunger Games Arena, feeling that at last and finally all was well!


End file.
